Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-23
KIRK PUT ON THE STAND.
THE CHARGES OF HIS FOES
MET WITH A FIRM FRONT.


sopping the County of Its Life Blood
-spooner Outmatched.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 22.--Judge Lafay-
attic Kirk, County Judge of Washington
county. Tex., was examined by the Texas
Committee to-day. Judge Kirk has acted
since the investigation began as one of
the counsel for the Democratic side, and
the course of the previous testimony has
seemed to put him in the position of chiet
defendant in the case. 1t is he who is
charged with having visited Flewellyn
nrecinct where votes were being counted
about half an hour before the raiders en-
tered on which occasion Dewes Bolton
was killed, and it was ne who in the in
dirnation meeting at Brennan intro
duced the resolution requiring certain
Republicans to cease certain line OF
Nonduct or leave the county.
SPIRITED CoLLoQUIEs.
He was examined by Senator Spooner,
and the colloquies were at times very
spjrited. Judge Kirk, in reply TO in
oniries, said he presided, as it was his
official duty to do over the canvass of the
votes. The Supreme Court of the State
had decided some months previously that
diamond-shaped tickets (many of which
were thrown out in Washington county
at the last election were valid, and copies
Of the decision OF the court We're furnished
him. AS matter of fact, however, no
occasion had arisen within his Jurisdiction
involving the question in point and he
had never read the decision of the Su-
preme Court. Judge Kirk described his
visit to Chapel Hill and Flewellyn's poll
ing place. he having lett Brennan about
8 o'clock in the afternoon and ridden
thirty miles horseback that night to see
how things were going. These were
strong Republican precincts, but he had
reason to believe he would receive con-
siderable negro vote there.
THE TELEPHONE sNUBBED.
There was telephonic communication
between BRENNAN and Chapel Hill, but
he did not avail himself of it. The wit
ness was asked with regard to the tele-
grams he sent on election day. He ad-
mtted that he caused one to be sent, and
then remembered that he had also sent
one himself. This was addressed to ID.
D. Bolton, father Of Devices Bolton, who
was killed at Flewellyn's. ID. d. Bolton
was a fellow candidate on the peoples
ticket with Judge Kirk. To the best of
the witness recollection, his telegram
was to the effect that things looked bad at
DIeHBdIu. ne WOulu uOt swear budG LHdJ
was all, but to the best of his knowledge
and belief it was.
"DO YOUR WORK"
He did not remember that the words
"DO your work" were added. To the very
best of his recollection they were not. The
examination upon this point became very
earnest, and Senator Spooner's questions
We're put with great rapidity and in every
conceivable form TO elicit positive decla-
ration one way or the other. The witness
hnally said he ives not positive that he
did not send such a telegram.
MI. SpOOner with severity Are you
willing to have those kilograms produced
before this cOmmittee2
eWitness-I have no objection to hay-
ing them produced, If the committee
has them.
ASKED TO ORDER THEM.
Mr.. spooner, rising and placing before
.he witness pad OF paper,-Well sir,
nave you any objection to writing an
order TO the Western Union Telegraph
Company to deliver up these telegrams?
The witness i think the committee can
do it.
You are not anxious then to have the
committee get"
senator Eustis, interrupting,-Iwo would
certainly not advise the witness to do il.
Inc Wltness-The committee has pro-
cess and can.
Mr. epooner-We will take care of that
branch of the case.
In respect to the citizens meeting at
Brenham the witness described his ac-
tlon' lie was called on several times 10
speak, ana did speak, declaring in SUBJ
etahce Ihat II certain men, naming Hack
WORTH, Moore, Glider, Potter, Lockett and
ochuetZe did not cease their course OF ac-
tloh committee should be formed to
VISIT VISIT tnem and request them to leave the
county.
THEIR OFFENsE.
Ihelr course had been designed to
e "iouse Ine passions and prejudices of the
eoiOfeo people against the whites. The
MlIhess had been informed that Potter
au nau declared himself In favor of arming
he we negroes to shoot white men at the bal
w. DoA' fotter had since disavowed this,
ut out tue witness did not know il at the
Hi' Huie' ne only knew that Bolton had been
Ahieu' Others were offensive In their
speecnes, or rather not so much in their
sPeeches as in the fact that they were in
sng, sne naOlt OF applauding what the negroes
'"'u III thelr own speeches.
REPUBLICAN ROBBERY.
l. Oh hcross-eXaminatiOp the witness said.
aus"er 10 Senator Eustis, that the
peoplee ucket was formed because since
sue uays OF reconstruction taxes had been
tEAce9slVe, yet Notwithstanding there had
w. Teeu no pubic improvements TO warrant
tuenI, Whlle on the oth4r hand there had
oe oeen uelalcations and innumerable acts
ihaIleasance. One Republican official
S1o coO H0t away with between 10000 and
G-o,OVV, ana the evidence in the case was
ggulned up. The credit OF the county
,b, Suateu between Az ana so per cent. Of
or que 'ace OF us securities. In June of 1884
ISnoener Iontr Republican oficial-the tax col.
"0'or-nad defaulted for $4,000.
A DEMAND FOR REFORM.
~, ne ne pest people thought there remained
M ,or them merely choice between selling
ysrdinu Hu ieaVlny or banding together, re.
S",u,ess matt OF politics, In so far as local
reco.el ,sels were concerned, and put in a
,0n a, III administration. M In 1886 between
sGoSu anu ooO cltlzens OF both parties ard
naues ,v"''p 0i color asked the people who
on erected two years before to |
saIcept nomination. The Renuhlicans
pdu ppieu 10 swear the negroes TO slipport the |
sJipuVllcan ticket, and made war on the |
neso oVl teachers who supported the wit |
aSSo, Decause they We're pleased with his |
1sinui inuii.lstratlon of school affairs. Thev |
rnt W get the Republican school board |
ts uoS 70 employ them. The Democrats |
methoda muse were not legal political
ana hoi;s, ana 1t was generally Thought
aronso 'leEeu r tnat they were calculated TO
~i0"se race prejudice.